COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO MINIMIZE BROAD SHOULDERS

One of the most regularly asked questions we get via email and phone in the New Jersey showroom is with regards to- hiding broad-shoulders. It’s a fact of life that the prominence of the shoulders distracts people from the overall look. No matter how slim your waist or how great the legs, broad shoulders is often manly looking. If nature has given you broad shoulders, then part of dressing as a girl is to deal with it in the best way you can.

One great way to minimize the effects of broad shoulders would be bigger breast forms. This will help proportion your top half and make your waist look smaller in the process. But, make sure your hips are proportionate to your new rack.

There’s no doubt that the type of prosthetic latex bodysuits available on the market today for thousands of dollars are superb body-shaping solutions. But are there more affordable solutions? What works and which solution gives the most bang for your buck? The following are a list of the main hip-building solutions available on the market today with an indication of effectiveness and affordability:

LATEX BODYSUITS/GIRDLES: Outstanding body-shaping solution for the hip and fanny area in general with correct proportions. These shaping aids ensure clothes maintain the correct shape and proportion and certainly help nullify broad shoulders when bust and waist area are correctly proportioned too. Affordability: Certainly the most expensive running from approximately $900 for a latex girdle to thousands of dollars for a full bodysuit.
SILICONE PADS/SILICONE PADDED PANTIES: These tend to be more contoured for a realistic shape than most foam pad versions. The basic variety tend to be round or oval silicone pads in a panty that replicate the foam versions but tend to look and feel more realistic than the foam pad versions. Better versions that give perfect hips are realistically molded to give a very close approximation in proportion and shape to full female hips. Affordability: Range from approximately $150 for basic padded pants to $500 for realistic shaped hip pads.
FOAM PADDED PANTIES: Quick and reasonably priced these garments are the most popular as judged by units bought by customers. They are quick shaping solutions but do vary in effectiveness according to style bought. Many on the market are just ‘booty enhancers’ and so will add only bum but none or very little in the hip area. Make sure whatever you choose the garment has enhancement in the hip are if that’s what you need. Models vary from those with 4 individual pads to those with 2 larger pads that cover both the fanny and hip area. Material of the panty varies too from Lycra cycling-shorts type material to girdle material that both enhances the hip and butt at the same time as reducing the waist/lower abdomen. The strength of the material on the body-shaping girdles also helps taper the edges of the pads adding to the realistic shape. Affordability: Prices vary from about $20 for the simple ‘booty-only enhancer’ to over $100 for top of the line garments.
FOAM PADS: Purpose made hip-pads are also available which are simple oval shaped pads that you place on the inside of (for example) pantyhose that add the required thickness to your hips to correct that all important shoulder to hip ratio. Try to spend the few dollars more on cloth covered pads that are slip resistant rather than the uncovered variety that can move about depending on the material you rest them on. Affordability: At $15 and up for a pair these are a good quick-fix but tend to work better on small to average size dressers. Larger gals would likely need more than one pair to see a difference and so the padded panty is probably a better solution.
DO-IT-YOURSELF FOAM PADS: We have mentioned this before in body-shaping articles but since the last time we have received emails from customers explaining their own methods for creating the ‘perfect’ cost-effective hip solution to help minimize broad shoulders. Carved from foam that is available at up-holstery stores we have seen simple versions that cost pennies to make and replicate the purpose-made foam pads available on the market to more elaborate versions that copy the silicone moulded pads that give the more realistic shape. The difficulty many have is not in carving the general shape but getting the pad to taper sufficiently so you do not see the join between skin and pad underneath clothing. Affordability: From pennies to a few dollars it is possible to customize a solution for your body-shape

Step-by-step-guide to near perfect proportioned Home-Made Hips:

For those of you who are on a budget of less than $20 for finding a solution to correcting the ratio between your wide shoulders and slim hips then simply follow these steps:

Purchase 2 pieces of rectangular foam approximately 12” Wide by 24” Long and at least 2” Thick.
Cut each of the 2 pieces into the shape of a Pork Chop so that they match/mirror each other – you can do this with anything from a craft knife to an electric carving knife.
Taper each Pork Chop shaped pad on one side from the edge to approximately 4” in to the center. The edge should be as thin as 1/8” slowly thickening to the center of the pad to give a realistic curve/shape. Again, for best results using something that carves well like the electric kitchen carving knife or if you have to, a sharp craft knife. If using the craft knife you must be patient and remove small pieces at a time to ensure you end up with a realisticly-tapered pad.
Each pad should be positioned with the thicker loin part of the Pork Chop shape wrapped around towards the buttocks.
To Hold in Place get two pairs of control pad pantyhose and trim the legs off just below where the pads will end. One pair of the shortened pantyhose is to be worn against the skin with the pads resting on top. The second pair is drawn up over the pads to hold them in place. The pantyhose will help smooth out any uneven edges and hopefully give you the seamless curves/contour you are after.

Any body-shaper like a girdle will also do to hold the pads in shape however there is a big advantage of double-layering undergarments. When you wish to go to the Ladies Room the 2-layer control pantyhose method will keep the pads in place when you have finished your toilette and pull them back up. Without the 2 layers you have to start all over again with re-positioning the pads etc which is difficult to do especially if you are in a public washroom.

We have seen all of these solutions first-hand and they all work if you choose the one for your body shape that works best. There’s no doubt the latex body-suits are amazing but most of our readers do not have the budget to splash-out on such a garment. Take a good long look in the mirror to see the differential between your actual shoulder width and your hip width and then choose accordingly. If you only need a 2” enhancement to the hips for example, then you can save yourself a lot of money with some simple hip pads. Also, remember that some may only need the help of a corset to cinch the waist in 2 to 4” in order to correct the proportions to achieve a more feminine ideal.

Other general Dressing Tips that will help you if you have masculine/broad shoulders are:

Wear longer-sleeves with dresses or tops, preferably 3/4 or full length
Darker dresses, tops and blouses help ‘slim’ any part of the body
Blouses, shirts and tops should be longer length – short tops will accentuate broad shoulders
Fuller sleeves that flare are great for slimming broad shoulders
Lighter colored skirts can be worn if the top is a dark one

Good luck and if you need any help in deciding the most effective and cost-effective solution for your body shape then call us on 1-888 721 8688 and we’ll glad to advise you.

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